1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses, image forming systems, and image forming methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known image forming apparatuses including a photoconductor (which is an example of a turnable image bearing body for bearing a latent image), and a developing roller (which is an example of a turnable developer bearing body for bearing liquid developer (which is also referred to simply as “developer” below), and in which the photoconductor and the developing roller are pressed in contact with each other at a predetermined press-contact position.
When such a type of image forming apparatus receives image signals etc. from an external device such as a host computer, it forms a latent image on the photoconductor. As the photoconductor turns, the latent image formed on and bore by the photoconductor reaches the press-contact position. On the other hand, as the developing roller turns, the developer bore by the developing roller is carried toward the press-contact position. The image forming apparatus develops the latent image, which has reached the press-contact position, with the developer that has been carried. (See, for example, JP 2003-76148 A).
As described above, in order to develop the latent image bore by the photoconductor, the developer bore by the developing roller is carried toward the press-contact position in accordance with the turning of the developing roller. However, if, for example, the amount of developer that passes the press-contact position is smaller than the amount of developer that is carried toward the press-contact position, then this may give rise to a situation in which the developer that could not pass the press-contact position builds up at the press-contact position. (This situation, or this built-up developer, is also referred to as “drift of liquid” below.)
If development of the latent image is carried out in a state in which the drift of liquid exists at the press-contact position, then fogging, unevenness in darkness, etc., of an image that is formed on a medium may occur, and these may cause deterioration of image quality.